Faisal Rashid, MP for Warrington South, recently hosted the first of several coffee mornings due to be held for local 1950s-born women who have been hit hard by Government changes to the state pension age. Over 100 women attended the event, which took place on Friday 12th October at Bold Street Methodist Church.

The Conservative-led Government brought in changes in 2011 which speeded up the increase in the State Pension Age for women born in the 1950s. Many of the women who are affected received limited notification of the increase and some women received no notification at all. The decision to accelerate the rise in the women’s state pension age has had adevastating impact on many women who were born in the 1950s, some of whom are now facing financial hardship as a result.

Faisal has pledged to work alongside his colleagues in Westminster to keep up the pressure on the Government on this issue.

Further coffee meetings are due to be arranged in the coming months and information about the events will be sent out nearer the time.

Faisal Rashid MP said:

“It is deeply unfair that 1950s-born women have been forced to bear the burden of the increase to the state pension age without any help or support from the Government.

“In Warrington South over 6,000 women have been adversely affected by changes to the state pension age. Many have found themselves without a job, without a pension or pensioner benefits, and without money to live on.The women affected by this issue have been let down very badly and it is right that they receive recognition for this injustice and transitional support.

“Over 100 women joined me for the first coffee morning on this issue and that sends a very powerful message to the Government. This is not an issue that can be ignored or brushed under the carpet. This fight for justice will continue.

“I will keep up the pressure on Government Ministers to bring in the transitional protection that the 1950s-born women affected rightly deserve.”